A Dream
by Synthea Black
Summary: This is a story of angst between Tim Drake and someone he falls in love with.  It gets kinda deep and is really dark because her past is tragic like most Batman characters.  It gets a tad citrusy at the end but not that bad...
1. A Meeting

I sprinted into the school building. I knew I was late and I couldn't believe it. If she was late again I'd get a detention, but what difference would that make to my mother? From the wind, some of the papers flew from the books in my arms. I whipped around and scrabbled them up into an unbalanced pile.

I turned around and was instantly knocked over by someone heading in the opposite direction. Books and papers flew everywhere.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't see you" Tim Drake looked up from his dropped books. I stared at him in surprise; he had just talked to me. Tim Drake was a very quiet, leave-me-alone kind of kid. It's not that people didn't like him, he just didn't…socialize. We're talking about not initializing conversations, eating all by himself, and checking out/being absent/being tardy for no apparent reason. We all knew it had something to do with his guardian. Bruce Wayne was one of the richest men in the world and he'd adopted Tim as his lap dog. Nobody really knew why, and nobody really cared. They blended into the background.

"Oh, it's fine…I guess", it was the first time I'd heard him talk. He had one of those voices that hadn't changed just yet, but it fit him. He was my age, so around 15, but somehow he seemed older; more mature.

Somehow, he'd picked up my books too without my noticing, "Oh, thanks" I said as he handed them to me.

"No problem" he said quietly. He flashed a small smile and I fumbled with my books as I felt an unwanted blush come to my cheeks. He really was kinda cute…

The tardy bell rang somewhere in the distance. I sighed.

"Sorry I kept you" Tim said.

"It's fine" I said, "I would've been late anyway"

"Oh ok. See you around then" he turned the corner before I could say bye. I felt odd, but I regretted that he'd left so fast. I stumbled into first period and tried, unsuccessfully, to be inconspicuous.

"Miss Maddeline Dutch", I grimaced and turned around to face Mr. Boliv, her first-period history teacher, "This is the sixth time you have been tardy in this class"

"Yes sir" I said shakily, "My mother, she—"

"I will not take excuses! Three tardies is the rule for detention. I've given you three extras. You are trying my patience, Miss Dutch"

"Yes sir" was all I said; I wasn't going to beg.

"Your detention will be tomorrow after school in Mrs. Richmond's room"

"Yes sir"

I opened the lunch room door and slung my things down next to my "friends". They didn't even acknowledge that I was there; they were too busy talking about broken nails and new clothes sales. I looked around the lunch room, looking at all the smiling and laughing people. That was when I noticed the boy sitting in the corner. The shadows almost engulfed him, but I could just barely make out Tim Drake's spiky brown hair. He looked so alone, just picking at his food, not looking up once as people passed by. He wasn't even eating. I got a very strange thought then. What would happen if someone did sit with him? He'd talked to me earlier, maybe he just didn't reach out to people like most did.

I stood up quickly and slung my bag over my shoulder, lifting up my tray. I marched over to his table. I sat down; he didn't look up. All eyes in the cafeteria were on me now. I hesitated, but then pushed it aside.

"Hi" I said, smiling.

He looked up from the book I hadn't noticed before. _Aerial Jumps: Made Possible. _"Hi" he said, and then returned to his book.

"Strange thing to be reading" I said, tilting my head slightly to try and read the words.

He turned a page, "I suppose"

All attention had turned back to the food now, and I felt less pressure.

"Is it good?" I asked. I wasn't backing down now. He was going to talk to me if I had to beat it out of him.

He closed the book, but I noticed his finger was still keeping his place, "Why are you here?" he asked, looking at me.

The question caught me off guard, "You were nice to me this morning and my friends are busy talking about manicures"

"Oh"

"Well, my name's Maddie"

"Tim" he replied.

I nodded, although I already knew, "Why are you sitting over here all by yourself?"

Tim looked down and picked at his food, then shrugged, "I dunno…I just like being alone"

"Would you like me to leave?" I said.

He looked up quickly, surprised, "What?"

"If—"

The intercom crackled to life and I jumped as a senior's voice raddled through the speaker. "I need Timothy Drake to sign out, please"

I looked out the window in annoyance. I had almost gotten there. Then I gasped. The bat-sign was shining in the daylight sky of Gotham City. I had never actually seen it before, because usually it only shown at night.

"Wow, isn't it exciting?" I said before I could stop myself.

"Every time" Tim said, gathering up his books.

"Oh, you're checking out…" My body sagged without my knowledge. Tim noticed.

"Yeah, see you" just as before, he was gone before I could say good bye.

Tim sprinted down the hallway, his heart pounding with excitement. He could see in his head, the red suit that was at the very bottom of his bag, hidden away; the gold "R" emblazed on a circle of block above a sea of crimson. Involuntarily, a smile spread across his face when he thought of his guardian. Bruce would be changing into his alternate personality by now.

Tim pushed open the creaky school entrance doors and instantly saw Alfred in the famous Wayne limo. The older butler held the door open.

"Hey, Alfred. Couldn't've brought something a little more inconspicuous?" Tim said, sliding into the leather seat.

"No, sir"

"Trouble, Al?" Tim said. Alfred climbed into the driver's seat after closing his door behind the young boy.

"Yes, sir"

"Who—" Tim started, but was cut off when Alfred accelerated out of the parking lot. For an old man, he could sure drive.

But Alfred answered the question anyway, "Master Wayne believes it's the Joker, along with Harley Quinn, but it's only an assumption"

"Alright", Tim said, his favorite, "Where?"

"Gotham Jewels"


	2. A Fight

The alarm rang inside Robin's ears as he landed next to Batman on the roof of the building next to Gotham Jewels. "It wasn't smart of the Joker to rob something in the middle of the day" Batman said in his synthesized voice.

"He never really was smart though, was he?" Robin said, fixing his mask absentmindedly.

Batman turned slightly to look at Robin from the corner of his eye. Robin took a step back, catching the signal from his guardian. Pretty much saying, _shut up or I'll do it for you._ "He's smarter than he seems"

Batman leaped off the roof, spreading his cape in the form of bat wings. Robin gathered his courage for the umpteenth and jumped off the ten story building. It was weird "flying" in the daylight. He could actually see the ground, which didn't really help his fear of heights. Robin was aware of his shadow on the ground ten stories below. The heights made him queasy against his will.

He could see all the people looking up at them; actually noticing them. But there was no one down there for the either of the vigilantes. Bruce had told him that when he'd gotten into this, they would be alone. And Robin had stuck to the theory like glue. Robin could hear the people below him with the improved hearing gear Bruce had gotten him last Christmas.

"Look! It's Batman!" one said.

"In the middle of the day! Look, it's Batman!" said another.

No one ever noticed Robin though, but he could really care less. He knew exactly what he was capable of, and so did Batman. That was enough for him right now. Batman was the famous savior of Gotham, Gotham's Dark Knight, not Robin.

He landed softly on the rocky roof of the jewelry store, his gold and black cape flowed back to hang on his back again. Batman had already slid to the edge of the building and was climbing down to find a deserted window. Robin already knew the routine; get on the roof, scale the wall, find a window that led to an empty room, and then locate the target. They had done it several times, and it had worked flawlessly.

Robin looked over the edge and waited for Batman to find a window. He kicked one through quietly (Robin didn't even know that was possible) and Robin slithered over the edge, making sure to throw a hook back up onto the roof. He judged the distance instantly in his head and grabbed the rope in the correct spot for his descent. The rope went taught when he was right in front of the broken window. He rode the rope until he had enough momentum to unhook the rope from his belt and he jump lithely inside the empty room. He could barely see the giant bat's dark form in the room, but managed to slip beside him.

The two of them snuck through the door and made it down to the balcony that hung over the main store. The alarm was loud and annoying, and the main displays of jewelry were smashed open. As the two looked over the edge, someone came up behind Robin and kicked him in the back. He flew over the railing and quickly sent a hook up over the edge as he fell, the rope grew taught and he swung around underneath the balcony. He released the rope from his belt and landed gently on the floor below; nothing he couldn't handle. He gave himself props for not even making a sound in surprise.

That's when six of the Joker's goons came out of the darkness around him and created a perimeter. They stood there for a moment, all of them waiting for the other to make the move. Robin let out a yell and leaped for the closest one, he landed a round-house kick in his chest and the clown crumpled before he could gasp in surprise. He spun around and threw a right-handed punch at another's cheek, sending him spinning across the floor. He kicked to the side at one that was trying to come up from behind, then whipped around and slammed his hands on either side of another's ears. The clown yelled in pain and collapsed. He did a back flip and landed a kick in the fifth's back. He stood his ground for a moment as he felt one come up behind him. He threw a right hook and smashed in the plaster mask, the last one falling to the ground.

Robin straightened up, breathing hard. He was just about to relax when a figure in red leaped off the balcony, "Robbie, Robbie, Robin! The little bird that never learned how to fly!" Harley Quinn's crazy laugh echoed in his ears as she turned around and sent a ticking bomb right at him. Robin ducked and rolled behind a counter, hearing the glass around him break that held all the priceless jewelry.

"Still following your little mentor around while he takes all the glory!" Harley had made a mistake by breaking all the glass. Robin now knew every place she stepped, glass cracking under her feet. The words she said had no meaning to him, although they were probably true. He'd learned a long time ago not to listen to anything either one of the clowns said, they would just play with your mind.

Robin heard glass crack close to his right ear and he leaped to the left, a few bullets splattering the display his head had been hiding behind literally seconds ago. The pair was getting better, setting more traps. Now was the time to go on the offensive.

"You think six pawns would take care of me!" Robin yelled, making sure he was well hidden so she couldn't follow his voice. It echoed; perfect. "Harley, you and your boss are getting soft!" _Always use their names_, Bruce said, _It softens them up without them even knowing it._

"What are you talking about, birdie? You don't know what we've got planned." She cackled, somewhere to his left, "You have no idea". Another set of laughter rippled through the jewelry store. Robin backed away from her voice, stepping carefully on the glass so it wouldn't crack under his weight. If he could get far enough away, maybe he could—he looked up at the balcony. Maybe he could dig a hook in the ceiling and come around behind her—.

"Oh, Robbie-poo"

Robin whipped around just in time get a punch in the side of his cheek. Harley had done exactly what he had been planning. She'd set a hook up and come up behind from the air, not making one sound.

Stars flashed in his eyes and he spun from the force of the punch. But he took the momentum from the punch into a round-house kick at her chest. She flew backwards, but stood up before he could pin her. She ran at him, laughing as she did, and swung a high kick at his head. Robin ducked quickly and squatted, cutting her legs out from under her with his foot. She landed on her back and Robin sprung on top of her, straddling her waist. He held her shoulders down and relaxed for a second.

But Harley always had a few tricks up her sleeve. Literally. She lifted her arm and a toy boxing glove flew out from under sleeve to hit him square in the temple. Robin's vision blacked and as he fought for site, Harley turned them over so she was on top of him.

"Bad luck, Robbie" Harley said as an involuntary groan escaped his lips. He could feel shattered glass pieces digging into his back, no doubt he was bleeding. There was nothing he could do, his arms were pinned behind his head with her arms and her knees were clutching his legs together.

She leaned in close and Robin pulled back into the floor. There was a smirk on her face, "Love kills doesn't it?" She moved her nose back and forth across his. An idea sprung to mind.

"Why do you stay with that Joker anyway?" Robin asked, almost laughing to death at his own plan, "What can he offer you?"

Harley looked confused for a moment, then swung her neck, where at least ten necklaces, heavy with diamonds slung on her neck, "Well, money for one thing" she said.

"Yeah, but don't you just want to settle down and quit running all the time?" he asked soothingly. Harley was always the flirt maybe he could distract her long enough to—, "I can give you so much more then that idiot can"

He could feel her leaning in involuntarily, "Really? Like what?" she said dreamily, her face inches from his. _She's going to kiss me_, he thought in disgust, as her eyes looked intently at his lips.

"For starters, I could give you a splitting headache" Confusion popped into her eyes, but not after he head-butted her hard in the forehead with a loud _crack_. Harley's body went limp and sparks went off behind his eyelids. He shoved Harley off him and tried to stand up when Batman landed in front of him.

"Where were you this whole time?" Batman yelled.

"What are you talking about? I was—" Robin was caught off by a wave of nausea that swept over him from dizziness. "Aaah. Remind me never to head-butt anyone ever again." He started to lose his balance.

"I was up there all by myself fighting clowns while you decided to take a trip downstairs!" the anger in his guardian's voice surprised him.

"I was fighting too! I had six clowns and Harley!" he said, motioning to her unconscious body, "What was I supposed to do? Ditch them to run up and fight with you?" Robin's voice rose too, now echoing through the store.

"Now, you listen here! If you hadn't—" Batman was cut off as maniacal laughter came on over the loudspeaker.

"Arguing like an old married couple, I see. As per usual. Too bad that emotional misbalance bomb didn't work as well as I thought. Harley was a little harder to stop then I gave her credit for. I don't have time to watch you argue with my artificial poison. I'm so sorry to interrupt…but don't worry, you'll have plenty to talk about when I'm finished."

There was another fit of laughter, "I'm going to blow up…a public area, mmm….let's say tomorrow?"

"This is unlike you, Joker" Batman's deep voice said, breaking the terror the new information brought, "You usually tell us your plans"

"Oh, but I'm going to" the intercom retorted, "You see I'm going to bomb a certain…what is it, Harley? Oh wait your unconscious...Oh yes! Wilsonburg's School; the biggest school in Gotham."

Robin's heart skipped a beat, his school.

"Young Robin must go to school somewhere, why not Wilsonburg?"


	3. A Rescue

I sat down on the wet grass next to the "Wilsonburg's School" sign. My mother had forgotten again to pick me up from school. This had to be the third time this week…and it was Wednesday. I checked my watch. 4:13. It'd been an hour since school had been out. I stood up, aware that my mother truly had forgotten again. My mother had a severe case of schizophrenia. She just…wasn't all there. My father…well, I never really talked about him. To anybody.

By the time I noticed I was being followed on my way home it was too late. I finally opened my eyes to where I was. And I was definitely _not_ where I was supposed to be. _The Narrows_, I thought, _Brilliant Maddie, you're going to mugged…or worse_. I glanced around quickly, and immediately wished I hadn't. There were probably ten to fifteen child molesters waiting around here in the alley-ways. It wasn't like I was I child, but…

I hated myself for being so foolish and felt the first shiver of fear as someone came up behind me and touched my shoulder, sliding down to the bra clip.

I whipped around, face to face with someone I would never know. A creepy scum-bag waiting for some sort of control other then himself. The hand moved to my chest, hungry; unafraid.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yelled angrily, slapping off the crummy man's hand.

"Ah, pretty young ladies shouldn't roam the streets alone", the man's toothy grin sent shivers down my spine as I tried to back up.

"You get your slimy hands off me!" I said, turning to run, but finding a dead end. _Oh, great_. I felt the claws of absolute terror and despair close around my heart.

"You're a feisty young thing, aren't you" the man said, grinning masochistically.

I spit in his face. He slapped me and I held in a whimper. The man yanked me towards him violently, "You little—you'll be sorry for that"

"I'd like to see that" I said, my cheek burning.

"If you're not the sorriest, you'll be the sorest", he ripped off my jacket and flung me to the cobble-stones. I screamed and kicked him in the stomach, trying to scramble to my feet. The man recoiled, but advanced faster, shoving me to the ground. I heard footsteps behind me and lost all hope, I was doomed.

"You really shouldn't walk around all by yourself." The man said, in my face, his putrid breath flowing over my face.

"What makes you think she's alone" the voice was young, but had a sense of authority.

Then the man froze stiff, looking behind me, utter fear on his grimy face. The man scrambled away as fast as he could, a scream echoing down the alley. Someone in a red outfit ran after him, and chased him until he was out of site, "Get lost!" the boy yelled.

He sprinted back to me and I realized that it was one of Batman's buddies. I backed away, they were great at what they did, and I couldn't help but be a little intimidated. He was tiny, but it didn't matter, "Wh—who are you?" I said.

"Ugh" he said, I caught agitation behind his mask, "Nobody ever knows who I am" I heard under his breath. He pulled me up off the ground, "Robin"

"What?" I asked, stuttering from shock, "What's Robin?"

"My name" he said, starting to walk away.

"Oh" we looked at each other for a minute and I started to notice something…he looked familiar... I started to something when he grabbed my wrist and flew off into the sky. I screamed as he lifted me from the ground. We flew six stories off the ground to the roof where he released my arm.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

He rolled his eyes as I hesitated, feeling an invasion of privacy, "Really, miss? I'm not going to spy on you. I have better things to do."

"You can drop me off at the park. I only live a few blocks from there"

"Alright" he said, and pulled me off the roof, my scream echoing through the alley.


	4. A Disaster

The next day I made it into first period without being late. When I had returned home last night, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't help but think that I noticed something about him. There wasn't anything concrete, but, something was there that I didn't know about. My mother didn't even acknowledge me as I came home. She was lost in some TV show, her pack of cigarettes halfway gone.

As I went through the day I realized how many classes I had with Tim. He seemed on edge when I sat next to him in fourth period. In fact he flinched and looked away.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Did I smell or something?

"Fine" he said taughtly.

"Are you…looking for something?" I asked. His eyes were scanning every inch of the classroom.

"Yeah. Wait—. Maddie?" he said turning to stare at me.

"Yeah?" I said, pulling away slightly.

"Get out of here!" he said in a harsh whisper, "Now!"

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Just do it, please!" he said, the bell drowned out his speech as class started.

"What? Leave school? No, I have detention this afternoon; if I miss it I get suspended."

"I don't care!" he said. _What was going on?_ Half the class was staring at us now, "You have to go home. Trust me! PLEASE!"

"No! People are staring" I said, out of the corner of my mouth.

"If the back of the classroom would stop their chatting and pay attention maybe we could start with class" the teacher said.

Tim grew silent. And with that, so did I. "Sorry, Mr. Wentworth".

Lunch came. I sat next to Tim. If it was possible, he seemed more uptight then earlier. The tray he'd gotten was untouched and to the side. There was no book today; instead he was staring out the window, occasionally scanning the cafeteria.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked.

"I keep telling you to leave" he said, not looking at me.

"Yeah?"

"It's making me agitated"

"What? Would you like me to leave?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, actually I would" he said, "Why do you think I've been asking you?"

My heart stung, I'd only been with this guy, like once. Why did it matter? "Fine! And to think I was actually starting to like you." I could tell my comment hurt him, but I stood up anyway. I picked up my stuff and turned around to walk to my old table, when someone stopped me. I turned around to see Tim holding onto my arm. _How had he gotten up so fast?_

"That's not what I meant" he said.

"What did you mean then?" I asked, surprised at how close we were.

"I wanted you to leave because—"

Bu he was cut off, a ferociously loud boom shook through the building. It sounded like it came from the south wing. I wobbled and my tray fell from my already shaking hand, scattering food across the floor.

"Holy crap" I said, "What do you think happened?"

"C'mon, let's go" Tim said, pulling me to the doors, "Everybody out!" he yelled.

"What? Where?" I asked, being tugged along. Nobody else was paying any mind to him. Then an earsplitting boom cracked the ceiling above us and the ceiling caved in. Tim grabbed my collar and rolled out of the way, pulling me with him. I landed on top of him and coughed out some dust.

"C'mon, Maddie. Get up." he said from underneath me, "We have to get out of here before anoth—" Another bomb went off as I tried to stand up.

I tried to stand again, "Tim?" I could barely see anything, the dust was so thick.

"TIM?" I yelled, yet another bomb going off, throwing me to the floor. A gloved hand grabbed mine and pulled me towards what I thought were the doors. I noticed brown spike-y hair, "Tim, where are we going?"

He turned around and I gasped. I tried to pull away, as I came to face-to-face with Robin. The boy that had saved me the night before. That's when I realized where I knew him from…he was the one…the one that had rescued me so many years ago…from my father…"Come on!" he said.

"Wait!" I yelled, "We have to go back! Tim's back there!" He was the only "friend" I'd had in awhile. I wasn't going to leave him.

"I'll get him later!" the hero said, almost dragging me out of the building as another _boom_ shook the school, sending debris down upon us. I lost contact with my savior and fell to the floor. I cried out when pain encased my leg.

I felt hands under my shoulders and looked up to find the masked boy again. "Almost out" he said, attempting to pull me out. I yelled in surprise as he pulled on my leg. It felt like red hot fire was coming from my ankle. It was stuck under something.

"Great" Robin said, "Bats, I need some help"

"Are you stupid?" I said in pain, "He's not gonna hear you!"

Weight lifted off my leg and I gasped when I saw two bat ears come out from the smoke as a concrete block flew into the distance.

"Uh…th-thank you!" I said. The man was huge. He had to be 6'8" and he was covered in muscles underneath the black suit that he wore.

"Hurry up, Robin" the man said in a deep voice, "There's a lot more kids in here that need our help"

I wracked out some dust, closing my eyes for a minute. When I opened them Batman was gone.

"Let's go" Robin said, dragging me through the concrete and destroyed lockers. We emerged into the sunlight and I found my footing, walking to the soft grass. I sucked in fresh air, feeling my lungs relax in relief. When I turned around, he was already disappearing into the smoke of the destroyed school.

Robin scrambled through the North Wing of the destroyed school. It had been worse then they'd thought, but at least he'd gotten Maddie out. His plan definitely had not worked to get her out of here, but at least she was safe…

He saw a lot worse off then she had been. Thank god there had been no casualties. The Joker had only set off minor explosives, for once…


	5. A Visit

"TIM!" I yelled over the emergency sirens, "Tim, are you there?" The EMT's had begged me to go to the hospital, but I assured them that I was fine and I had no medical care anyway. They gave me a wooden crutch for free and as I hobbled around the grounds of the school I started to worry.

An hour later, I found him talking to the police. Unharmed.

"You jerk!" I yelled.

He turned around quickly. He was covered in dust, except for some bits around his eyes. A little odd I'll admit.

"What?" he asked, looking surprised.

"I looked everywhere for you" I said, punching his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I was…busy"

"Busy my ass. You're not even hurt!"

"And you are" he said, pulling me aside and away from the cops.

"Yes, I know. I got rescued by some bird boy in a mask!" I said, after that third explosion I'd totally lost him and now he was here, not even hurt, just a little dusty.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"What?" I said, pausing on my rampage.

"I said, 'Are you ok?'"

"…Yeah. I'm alright"

"Do you need a ride home?" he asked. I looked at him, unable to find anything to say. Somehow he'd turned this conversation back on me. "I can take you home"

"I…" as much as I wanted to say no, I was a little scared about walking home again. It could only be a little past one and my mom definitely wasn't coming to get me, "…yeah, I guess I do need a ride"

He smiled, "Alright"

"Aw, Alfred I told you to bring the other car" Tim groaned. A shining, silver Lamborghini pulled up to the curb.

An old man in a tailored suit stepped out, "Sorry, sir. When you said 'low profile' this was all I could think of"

"Alright" Tim said, as the man opened the backseat door, "Alfred, we're driving someone else today"

"Ah, a pleasure I'm sure" he said, giving me a smile.

I returned it shakily. I think half the people outside were staring at me as the butler held open the other door for me. This car was probably worth more money than my whole house and belongings put together. The leather seats were soft and seamlessly clean. I winced when I sat down and dust puffed out around me.

Tim put his feet up on the center console. "Sorry, but we're a little dusty"

"So, I've heard. I'm glad to see you all are alright" the butler said, pulling onto the highway.

"Did you bring food, Al?" Tim asked.

"No, sir"

"Aw"

"We can stop by somewhere on the way back to the mansion"

"Alright"

"Master Wayne would like us to stop by the mansion before we do anything else." The man said, "He said it was imperative"

"Is it about the tapes?"

"Yes, sir. Where do you live miss…?"

"Zwinger" I lied, "Maddeline Zwinger" Too many people judged me by my family name, I was tired of it.

"She lives over by the park" Tim said, rummaging in the center console for something.

"Yeah—" I stopped. "How did you know that?"

"Everyone at that school lives by the park. You can ask anyone" Tim said quickly.

"Oh, I didn't know that" I also didn't notice the look that Alfred sent the boy from the rearview mirror.

"I am sorry Miss Zwinger, but I'm afraid we'll have to make a small stop before we drop you off" Alfred said from the front, weaving professionally between cars.

"Oh, that's fine" I leaned over to Tim and whispered, "You have your own driver?"

"Actually he's our butler, but yes, Alfred goes everywhere with us. He's practically our father" Tim said, "Isn't that right, Al?"

"Yes, sir" the butler said, "I suppose I've been here long enough"

"Our?"

"Yeah. Mine and Bruce's" Tim said, putting his feet down after retrieving some old candy from the console.

"I'll go in and get the tapes, sir"

"Nah, I'll go get 'em. I don't mind"

"Are you sure, Master Tim?" Alfred asked, pulling up to the dark, dreary mansion. It looked more like a castle to me, looming over Gotham City like a watch tower.

"Yeah, I'll take Maddie up"

"I'll just wait here then, sir" Alfred said as he opened my door.

"Thank you" I said to him. He gave me a smile and returned to the driver's seat as Tim beckoned me towards the stairs to the front doors.

It was hard for me to climb up them, considering my leg was hurt, but I managed. Reaching the top was probably the most relieving time in my life. "You okay?" Tim asked, glancing at my leg.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I gritted out. I'd left the crutch in the car.

Tim searched through his keychain for awhile until he found the right one, then opened one of the doors.

I held in a gasp. The entry-hall had to be the size of my whole apartment. It was almost empty, with a small table in the center with flowers on top. A beautiful chandelier hung above us.

"Wow" was all I could manage.

"We're really not this eccentric." Tim said, throwing his coat on the floor next to the coat-stand. Then reaching for mine. "If Bruce had his way we'd be in a small house near town"

"What keeps him here, then?" I asked when Tim pulled off my jacket, hanging it up.

"It was his parents' house" Tim said, leading me towards the stairs. They were huge and gothic, there had to be at least thirty of them. I held in a moan.

We started up them. I made it to the top painfully, but that's when my vision started to blur. I lost my balance then caught it quickly, trying to stay on my feet. Tim hadn't noticed, he was walking in front of me. We stood in what I would consider to be a living room, with a large mushy-looking couch and a big-screen TV.

"Hey, I'll be right back. Okay?" Tim said, "Make yourself at home"

He walked off down a hallway and I gingerly sat on the sofa. My leg was throbbing with pain. Finally I glanced at it. I noticed a dark red patch on my jeans and I lifted them up carefully. I pulled the pant leg down twice as fast, wincing. My leg had been practically sliced open and was bleeding freely. Hopefully I could deal with this once I got home.

"Alright" Tim said, coming from the hallway with a few tapes tucked under his arm, "You ready?"

"Yeah" I said shakily.

He looked at me, "You okay?"

"Yeah" I lied.

We made our way to the stairs. I hobbled down them. I made it halfway before my vision went out. I lost my balance and fell backwards. Tim caught me and I tried to open my eyes. I groaned, my world was spinning. It was like the Victorian stairs were above my head. I swayed, putting a hand to my forehead.

"Maddie?" Tim said. He lifted me up into his arms, much to my dismay, and carried me back into the living room, setting me down on the coffee table.

"I'm alright" I managed, "Really"

"Sure you are" Tim said sarcastically, "I'll be right back" I lost sight of him. My leg was throbbing, I could feel the blood seeping from the slice in my leg. He came back a few minutes later with some wrap and antiseptic.

I was too out of it to realize that he knew exactly where I was hurt. I hadn't told him. He pushed up my pant leg carefully and I winced, of course it hurt. I was so dizzy that when he reached out in case I wanted to hold his hand, I took it without hesitation.

"This is going to hurt" he said, squeezing my hand a little.

I nodded blearily. He poured out almost the whole bottle on my leg and I held in a yell of pain, involuntarily squeezing his hand while trying to hold back the tears. The pain was terrible, but I managed to keep the tears at bay.

"I need my hand back" he said quietly.

I released it quickly, glad he was paying too much attention to wrapping my leg to notice my blush. He finished the wrap with great precision.

"Thanks" I said, moving my leg a little.

"It's no problem" he smiled a little.

"You're good at this" I said as he helped me up.

"I suppose" he said nonchalantly.

We walked down to the car and Tim opened my door. I smiled, "Such a gentleman"

"I try" he said, laughing.

Alfred woke with a start. "I'm sorry, sir. I must have dozed off."

"It's alright, Al" Tim said, "We're ready"

We drove towards my apartment, it was already almost three. That's when the rain started. It was around April so the rain was cold and heavy, soaking the dirty Gotham streets. It didn't take us long to reach the apartment when I gave Alfred the directions. As soon as I stepped out of the car I was soaked through. I limped only slightly up the few stairs to the front door and when I opened my front door someone grabbed my wrist.

"Hey" Tim said. His brown hair was plastered across his forehead.

"What?" I asked, praying that my mother was asleep.

"I was wondering…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his head. I was startled to see a slight blush on the bridge of his nose.

I slid my hand into his, comfortingly smiling at him.

"Would you like to go out to the movies or something? Next weekend maybe?"

"Yeah" I said, "That'd be really nice"

"Okay, good" he smiled, looking relieved.

"MADDELINE BROOKE!" my mother yelled from the living room, "Get your ass in here right now!"

"I'll be there in a minute, mom" I said. I turned back to Tim, "You should probably go"

"MADDELINE! Where have you been? I want my food! NOW!"

"Yes, mom" I said, closing my eyes. "Thanks for taking me home, Tim. I really appreciate it. I'll see you tomorrow at school" As a last minute decision I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. I closed the door on a very wet, very surprised, and very ecstatic Tim Drake.


	6. A Splurge

~A Few Days Later~

I walked around the mall, scanning the clothes in the windows. Briar Pond was the most popular mall in all of Gotham and as I walked around on Saturday afternoon I realized just how many people loved to shop. Clothes never held much particular value to me. I was satisfied with Wal-Mart brand whereas some didn't even want to be seen in Aeropostale. I'd gained a little extra money recently and had decided to splurge ever so slightly. I hadn't bought anything for myself in a while. I ignored all the high end perfume, jewelry, and purse stores and moved on to the regular clothes stores.

Picking out a top for my date later that week and some jeans, a pair of shorts. I was getting ready to try on a skirt when my stomach growled. I returned the skirt to the rack and went up the escalators to the food court. I stood looking over the balcony, chewing on my pretzel, and glancing at the people below me. None of them realizing that I was there.

"Come on! Let's go!" Bruce said, from the intercom, "Bomb tip!"

Tim slid off the couch and sprinted down to the cave, quickly fitting into his suit, "Where?" He asked as his mentor jumped into the black car.

"Briar Pond Mall"

Tim jumped in after him, "I had been meaning to do some spring shopping"

I stood there for a good ten minutes until I clapped the salt off of my hands and began to turn around. When I heard the familiar _boom_ of explosions. _Oh crap_, I thought as the ground rumbled beneath my feet. _Am I really this unlucky?_ I thought. First the school, now this. I heard a few people scream and my heart started to beat faster. This is not gonna be good. Some flakes of ceiling started falling and I felt the balcony start to shake under my feet when another _boom_ shook the mall. The railing broke that I was next to. I saw it and made a note to avoid it when the ground shook again and I lost my balance.

"Joker…" Batman said, looking at the mad clown that was holding a silver remote in his gloved hand. The clown lifted his thumb and Robin flung his hook at it attempting to yank it from his grasp.

Harley cart-wheeled in and snatched the chord, yanking it towards her. Robin fell off balance and toppled to the floor. Harley whipped out a knife and snapped the chord in half.

"I guess little bird-y won't be flying today" she squealed happily, attempting a kick to his stomach. The boy somersaulted away then flanked back, trying to land a kick in her back. She flipped over him and kicked him in the back, sending him to the floor. He landed hands first and sprung back up in a front handspring. He ducked a punch and was ready to right hook her in the jaw when the whole building started to shake.

Harley giggled fiercely and flipped backwards, "My queue to leave."

The floor shook and Robin caught his balance, then proceeded to run out of the mall storage room and out into what looked like the food court. People were screaming and running in all different directions, but nobody looked to be in real danger.

The second bomb went off near the pretzel stand and Robin saw the balcony lose its support. A girl, there was a girl over there. She was trying to keep her balance and when she finally lost it she fell backwards, turned towards him and he saw her brown eyes…_brown eyes._

_Maddie_.

He sprinted forward just as she fell off the edge. He leapt after her.

_Crap_, he thought, realizing that his wires had already been cut when he went to reach for the hook. He managed to grab her forearm and then a banner with the other. Her scream hurt his ears because she was so close, but he was glad that he was so close to her. He'd caught her. The banner burned through his glove and cut into his hand. He winced as he squeezed harder so when he let go and they tumbled to the ground it wouldn't hurt as bad. She landed on top of him and he stood quickly to hide his blush of embarrassment.

"Thanks" she said, breathing hard. Her arms scratched up and her pant legs torn and a bruise beginning to swell up on her arm.

"No problem" Robin said. I wondered why he was just standing there looking at me and I rubbed the spot where he'd grabbed my arm, it was turning blue. My face was hardening with tears that I hadn't noticed I'd shed when I'd fallen off the balcony. My whole body ached.

He waved slightly and turned to run off when I grabbed his wrist. There was a huge gash across his palm. "Your hand!" I said.

He pulled free, "It's nothing. Get out of here." He turned quickly, his cape flashing behind him.

When Tim got home that night he pulled off his ruined glove and tossed it in the trash. He wrapped the gash in a bandage and stared at it. That was going to be really hard to cover up…


	7. A Date

~A Few Days Later~

The doorbell rang and I stood up quickly from the couch.

"Who's there?" my mother yelled from upstairs.

"Nobody, mom. Don't worry about it." I pulled on a jacket and opened the door.

"Don't let them in!" she yelled as said hello to the boy at the door, "I don't need any more bastards in my house."

I smiled brightly at Tim, trying to block out my mother's yelling, "I'm going out" I called up the stairs.

"What? To hell you are!"

I stepped outside and closed the door behind me, smiling even brighter.

Tim looked at me, "Um…" he looked at the closed door, "Are you sure that—"

"She's just upset because she'll have to make her own dinner" I smiled and laced my arm in between his turning him so we could walk down the stairs. I stopped, "Where's Alfred?"

"I thought it would be nicer if we walked. Is that alright?" He said, trudging through the wet grass that led from my house to the sidewalk.

"Of course" I said, "Where are we going?"

"To tell you the truth" he said, "I don't know."

I looked at him, "You don't know?"

"I know it's not normal but I figured we could just walk around and talk. Maybe sit down at a café or something…" His eyes closed in an embarrassed smile.

I laughed, "Ok"

We walked for awhile, not really knowing where we were going. He was good company and I like talking to him. Sometimes we would both go quiet, but we enjoyed the silence. It was a nice reprieve from my noisy household. We passed by a deli and he asked if I'd been there before.

I told him 'no' so we went in and sat at a window seat. I removed my jacket and he did the same, returning his hands to his pockets. Where they'd been all afternoon.

"Are your hands cold?" I asked.

"Hmm?" he said, looking up from the menu, "Yeah."

"Here are your drinks" the waitress said.

"Thank you"

She walked off.

I reached for my glass when Tim started speaking. I looked up, but didn't realize my hand knocked over the glass. It crashed to the floor, spilling everywhere, the glass breaking. He reached down and started to pick up the glass.

"I'm so sorry!" I said, turning red with embarrassment.

The waitress hobbled over with a dustpan and washcloth. "It's alright, no harm done" she said with a smile as Tim handed her the rest of the glass. She mopped up the spilled drink and walked off into the kitchen. I tried to hide behind my hands when Tim started laughing.

"Don't be mean" I said, my cheeks burning.

He chuckled, "That was actually really funny. Your face was adorable."

He wasn't making it any better, my face just grew hotter, "Oh my gosh. Your hand" I said.

"It's just a scratch" he said, smiling. Thanking god the two cuts on his fingers were on his right hand instead of the burned one.

We walked back that night in the cold spring air. The crickets were loud, but peaceful. He wouldn't stop teasing me. He laughed and I blushed for the fiftieth time that night, smiling slightly. The street-side grew quiet again and I reached for his hand. But my smile fell when he pulled away.

"Sorry" he said, "My hand hurts."

I was too airheaded to realize that it was the wrong hand because he'd wrapped his arm lightly around my waist instead, keeping me warm in the cold night's air.


	8. A Hostage

~Later in the Week~

"So, you all decided to get a little closer to society, did you?" the Joker asked, laughter spilling from between his yellowed teeth.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Bruce said. His mask was torn in a few places and Tim could tell he'd been through a hell of a fight before he'd gotten there. Tim had been beat up himself, probably too much for what he was worth. Harley had given him a real beating for the last time they'd gone head-to-head at the jewelers. There had been no tricking her this time, she went straight on the offensive and drove him right into the ground with the first six punches.

Joker didn't usually take hostages, but as they stood at the top of Gotham Tower Tim started to get sick. The clown was going to drop her out the window, whoever she was. There was a black bag over her head and she was dressed in nice jeans and a pretty red shirt. Tim could tell that she was young and pretty from her figure. She was dressed for something special maybe a date or a meeting. That thought sent an inch of fear creeping toward his heart.

It reminded him of Maddie, he'd had to call off their second date because of the Joker. They were going to go to dinner together, much to Bruce's displeasure. One of the hardest moments of his short life was having to call her two minutes late after their meeting time at the park, to tell her that he wasn't going to be able to make it. She had already been at the park. She'd gotten there early because she'd had nothing better to do.

"Oh, I think Robin knows what I'm talking about" the Joker said, pulling on the girls hands that were behind her back, closer to the window.

Tim heard her try to stifle a whimper.

"We don't talk to anyone, Joker. You should know that. It's not right" Bruce said, looking pointedly at the Boy Wonder.

"You don't talk to poor Selena anymore, Bats?" the Joker asked, looking most sincere, "Tsk, tsk, tsk"

Bruce tensed, his fists clenched

"Selena?" Tim asked, unable to help himself, "…Catwoman?"

"Looks like you'll have a bit to talk about when you get home to the Bat Cave, huh?" Joker laughed again, "But no, I didn't come here for _your_ social life, Batty. Just the kid's"

Tim tensed. _It can't be_. He only had one friend in the world, and she _had _been dressing up for something special.

Joker pulled off the bag. The girl's tear-stained face was yanked back by her brown hair. Tim took a step back in utter panic. It felt like someone had dropped a pile of bricks on him.

"Oh yes, it's _her" _The Joker laughed.

Maddie looked at him, not knowing who he was, not knowing that she was about to fall 60 stories to the streets below. But knowing that who she thought was a masked vigilante was not going to save her.

The mad clown cocked his gun against her forehead and she cowered away from it. "I saw the way you jumped after her at that mall accident. Maybe it would have been different if you hadn't known that I'd cut your Batarang ropes, but you watched me do it. I did it right in front of you!" He cackled, "Oh, how could you do it? Knowing that you would more than likely die trying to save her life! Oh, you heroes can't resist your damsels in distress can you?"

"Joker, put down the gun" Bruce said, his voice holding authority. Bruce didn't know who the girl was. He'd never met Maddie before; he said he didn't want to. Tim didn't blame him. It was wrong to bring someone into their lives like Tim had. It was too dangerous, because they would constantly be at risk. And he'd been right. Joker didn't even know that the two of them were dating and he was already on her tail, because he'd saved her…_once_.

"I picked her up in the park. She was going on a date with some _Tim_ fellow"

Bruce glanced at his young protégé through his mask, a glare coming out profoundly though the white slits for the eyes.

"Not that it matters. Too bad he never got to pick her up" The Joker said, "She looked so pretty before I got my hands on her" He pinched her cheek, blood seeping from one of the many cuts on her face.

A gunshot sounded in the small office room and she screamed, wincing. Tim knew the Joker wouldn't shoot her, it would be too easy, but it made him wince anyway. Joker did love his games. The shot shattered the window behind the pair and cold wind blew into the top story of the building. Maddie's eyes widened and in that instant she knew exactly what was going to happen. There was no way some "hero" was going to risk his neck to jump out after her, especially with everyone else up here to pummel his partner. Batman would be left all by himself with over 30 thugs with practically no escape and no assistance.

"Robin" Brue cautioned, but Tim had already made up his mind. He was going after her, no matter what.

"Are you ready for a little fly?" Joker said to the girl, kissing her cheek. She nodded slightly, tears in her eyes as the Joker released his grip, pushing her back. "Bye-bye, sweet-heart" he said, waving.

I caught one glance at Robin's cold, emotionless mask and felt my balance tip backwards. The Joker's maniacal laughter echoed in my head as I screamed, my shoes slipping off the broken glass and into the empty abyss. The wind was deafening as I kept falling, fear had already engulfed me earlier when I had been kidnapped, but now it had been released into all my screams. I kept screaming and screaming, although I knew it would do no good. My tears had frozen from the cold wind, but they kept coming. I was flying to my death, and there was no hope, because I would be dead before anyone could reach me.

I felt I hand snatch at my arm and tried to look up, catching a glimpse of red and black. He was falling with me, and I tried to grab him, hoping to hold on so that I wouldn't be splattered on the Gotham streets. He gripped at my arms and the rope he'd sent up went taught. I lost my grip on him from the sudden stop and gravity pulled me to the ground. It was almost as though death _wanted_ me.

"MADDIE!" I heard yelled after me. I was too panicked to realize he knew my name when I'd never told him. I screamed then yelped as I was caught by something tied around my waist. He'd thrown another line after me when he'd first caught me, to catch me in case he couldn't hold on tight enough. My breathing was so ragged and hysterical that when he pulled us both into the 12th story of Gotham Tower he had to calm me down; afraid I would collapse because I was hyperventilating.

I felt tears build up in my eyes again although I was more relaxed then earlier. I thought about what would have happened if he'd waited just a second more and an image of myself splattered across a street popped into me head. Something in my mind snapped and I collapsed into tears, gripping at his shoulders in hysterics. The boy pulled back, surprised at my reaction, but then his arms surrounded me and he joined me to sit on the floor. To myself I had just died, I had been _so_ close to death. If he had taken another breath before jumping out of that window, I'd've died.

I clung at him desperately, burying my face into his shoulder. I didn't care that I didn't know who he was, I didn't care that I would probably never see him again…He was there at the time when I was weakest as I sat there, burying my pain into his spandex costume.

It should have been awkward, seeing as how tight I was clinging to him, but it wasn't at all. He held me close, almost as tight as I was holding him. I didn't know that he was close to tears himself, thanking god that I was safe.


	9. A Secret

Robin put me down on the roof of my apartment. It was a little sad that he knew which window was mine. This just showed he'd rescued me too many times. I voiced this aloud and I watched the hero chuckle, his mask crinkling around the edges. I had never really thought about it, but he and Tim were really my only friends. And I didn't even know Robin's name or even what he looked like.

"You know I don't even know your name" I said, voicing me thoughts. He pulled himself onto the roof once he opened my window for me.

"I know" he sat down on the edge, his feet hanging off the roof. It was funny how the spandex suit made his body look almost shapeless; like a cartoon. But you could tell that below the costume, it was just barely tight enough to see all the muscles that the thin boy hid under the cape and mask.

I joined him, "I can't believe this"

"What?" he said, looking over the cityscape that was below us. We were up pretty high, but I wasn't scared at all, because I knew that he would catch me no matter what. I felt like I was betraying Tim in a way.

I had to speak louder because of the wind, "I don't even know what you look like and yet your one of my best friends"

I think he sighed, but I was probably imagining it, "Who's the lucky girl that's your best?" he asked.

"Not a girl" I said, pulling my knees to my chest against the cold, "His name's Tim, he goes to school with me."

"Are you…together?" he asked.

"I like to think so, but I don't know if he wants to be"

"Oh"

"You must have some good friends" I said, "That know who you are"

"I suppose"

I froze. I'd heard someone say that before. Those exact words, the exact tone, the exact emotion. I racked my brain, think, think, _think_. The image was foggy and I lost it a few times until it hit me square in the chest. I stood up quickly, wobbling from the wind. It couldn't be him.

Robin sprung up in surprise, "Are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah" I said, pulling on a smile, "It's just a little cold up here"

He laughed somewhat and I liked how it sounded. "Sorry. I can leave if you want". The boy couldn't help but pray that I hadn't heard the sadness in his voice when he said it.

"No, I don't want you to leave" I laughed, "I'd rather wait awhile before Mrs. Lasserty's class second period"

"I know!" he said, and my heart leaped into my throat, "God, I hate her!"

His eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said.

"A-hah!" I said triumphantly, feeling a smile come on, "I knew it!"

"Just because I said I hated her doesn't mean that I'm in that class!" he said defensively, stepping back when I advanced on him.

"Then what class are you in?" I was so mean; there was no way he was getting out of this. If he said someone else's then I'd know he went to that school. It was a lose-lose situation for him. And what was funny was that he hadn't noticed yet.

"I'm in Mr. Jenkins' class second period!" he stuttered. Then he realized the trick I'd pulled on him, "Damn it"

"How would you know he had a second period class?" I said, raising an eyebrow when I already knew that I'd caught him.

He sighed, "Fine, yes, I go to your school. Satisfied?"

"No" I said, taking another step closer to him. I'd never realized how tall he was until just now. He was at least a head taller than me. It was funny to see his face underneath the mask, because I knew exactly who it was. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before. It was although it was obvious. Once I figured it out it was hard to miss. I couldn't understand why I hadn't guessed it before, "I know you're in my grade"

"That's about 75 people" he protested as I took another step towards him. I could reach out to touch him if I wanted to.

"And I know you're in my second period"

"21 kids" he said. I took another step.

"And you're a boy" I said, quirking a smile.

"12" he actually started to look worried now. "Look, I don't want you to guess"

"I don't have to" I said, taking yet another step, "I know you have brown hair"

He sighed, "That brings us down to about 7 now, doesn't it?" he said, his voice wavered slightly when my next step left us barely a few inches apart. This was not going as he had planned. I wasn't supposed to figure out who he was, maybe guess a few people, but _never_ was I supposed to get this close. This was what happened when you got to know people. Just like Bruce had said.

"That's not very many people to choose from, now is it?" I said quietly. I could feel his breath on my face, it was quick and fast. He was scared. Almost terrified.

"Tim" I said, barely above a whisper.

His breath caught. He staggered back and I followed him just as fast. He stopped, so worried; his eyes full of shame and fear. This was _not_ supposed to happen.

We stood there, on the roof of my apartment, the cold wind blowing us from side to side. I don't know how long we stood there. The minutes ticked by, one after the other until I wouldn't have been surprised if the sun came up. I reached down and pulled off his glove, seeing two slits on his fingers from the glass I'd knocked over on our date. It didn't exactly surprise me, but I don't think that I was really ready for it. But I finally pulled a hand up carefully to his face, and said, "…Can I?"

He didn't move so I took that as a yes. Lightly, I slid a finger across the length of the mask until I reached the edge. I snuck a nail underneath it. He closed his eyes. We both took an involuntary deep breath as I carefully began to peel it off.

Tim Drake stood there in front of me, looking at me. In a red Robin suit, a flying wire hanging off his belt, black liner around his eyes to fill in the mask. And it didn't change a thing. He was the same exact boy. My best friend. Just combined into one person and I hadn't even known. We were so close; in more ways than one. I could feel his breath, the heat coming off his body as I held the rubber mask in my hand.

The rain started to fall, creating steam on the rooftops. It was cold and as the rain started to pick up I started to worry that I had ruined our relationship.

We looked at each other for so long when I finally took a glance at his lips. Full and curved, not normal for a guy. They were pink and looked so incredibly soft. I looked back to his eyes quickly, taking in the fear and longing in their chocolate depths. I chanced another look at his lips when I leaned forward an inch and our lips met. My heart shot up my throat and my eyes closed automatically. His lips were soft, caressing mine perfectly. I'd like to say it was an accident and that I shouldn't have done it, but I loved it.

Until he pulled back, breaking the contact.

My eyes shot open, scared that I'd gone too far. A red hot, crimson blush spread across my whole face. I looked up to his eyes, expecting anger or something I hadn't even thought of yet…just…something bad. But I found longing…and…was that passion? It made me melt inside.

"For the record" he said, "I do want to be together" That's when he kissed me and time stopped. An arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close to his chest. His other hand caressed my face, smooth from the rain. His kisses were amazing, perfect, beautiful. One after the other, the exact right way, the exact right feel. I'd kissed other guys before, but it was nothing compared to this. I almost didn't want to move, but longed to be closer. My leg wrapped around his slightly, pulling him even closer.

I lifted my right hand, wrapping it around the back of his neck, not even bothering to let go of his mask as I gripped it tightly, kissing him deeper. My hand in his hair, soft and silky, better than I had ever thought possible. It was cold on the roof with the wind moving so fast. It whipped his cape out behind him, but I was warm, because he was there, with me.


	10. A Confrontation

"What the _hell_ were you _thinking_?"

Tim winced as Bruce chucked a book at the wall. I stood a few paces behind Tim, overwhelmed at the anger of the man in front of me.

"You told someone!" Bruce said, "Tim, we've talked about this. You're endangering her life"

"For the record" I said, "He didn't tell me. I found out" The man glared at me and I took a timid step back.

"Bruce, she was already endangered. It wouldn't have mattered if she knew or not. Joker captured her before she knew" Tim stood in front of me, still in his Robin suit. We were both soaked to the bone. And I had his mask buried deep in my back pocket. He had never asked for it back. I was glad, because I wanted to keep it anyway.

"Me, personally, I believe it's wonderful to have a woman around once again" Alfred picked up the book that Bruce had thrown and put it back in its proper place. Bruce glared at him. "Sir, you know it was only a matter of time before someone found out. At least Master Tim trusts her and she is not an enemy. True Miss Zwinger?"

"Yes, sir" I said, smiling slightly at the old man. I turned back to look at Bruce when I realized he was no longer there.

"Bruce?" Tim looked down the hall. There was no one there.

"Master Wayne probably went to the cave" the old butler said.

"The…cave?" I asked.

"Yeah" Tim said, pulling the cape over his head, "I'll be back in a minute, 'kay?"

I don't know what Tim said to him when he was down there, but after Alfred took me home I got a phone call.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey" I'd recognize that cheerie, sarcastic voice anywhere.

"What'd he say?" I asked nervously. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to know the answer.

"He'll be fine" Tim said from the other line, "To tell you the truth, I'm glad you found out. It was really hard keeping it from you."

I smiled, "So that's why you wouldn't let me hold your hand"

"Yeah. I had that burn on my hand."

I laughed a little, but was interrupted by a yawn.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

"A little" I said, not wanting to lie.

"I'll let you go okay?" he said, "I'll to talk to you later"

"Alright" I said, " 'Night"

" 'Night"


	11. A Passion

~Later in the Week~

"Hey" I said, tapping on the halfway open door in front of me. Tim looked up from the book he was reading.

"Hey, Maddie" he said, smiling. He set his book down on the nightstand next to his bed, "How are you?" he asked.

"Good" I said, sitting down on his bed. His room was filled with books and a small desk in the corner. "What about you?"

"Pretty good." He said, smiling again. I loved it.

"Capture any bad guys recently?" I asked.

He crawled onto the other side of the bed and lay down, reaching for a remote. "Not recently, no" He clicked on the TV that was above the door.

"Whatever happened to Joker?" I asked, laying down next to him. Almost cowering as I felt the tension coming off his body.

"We…still haven't caught him since…then" he said. I could see his brain wracking to keep a composed face as he remembered when the Joker had kidnapped me, sending me falling to the Gotham streets from the top floor of Gotham Tower. It had been a terrible moment for me as well as him.

We sat in silence for awhile and I wished that I'd just let it be and hadn't asked.

"You know…" he started.

I turned to him, waiting for him to finish.

"Maddie" Tim looked at me. His brown eyes were searching my face for what to say.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing a hand on his cheek. The contact was just enough to make him smile a little bit.

"I don't know what I'd do…if I ever lost you" he said, putting his hand on my thigh in a comforting way. But it burned my skin, straight through my sorts.

"You don't—" I started.

"Let me finish" he said quietly, "That day, in Gotham Tower. I'm sure I don't have to remind you. I thought I was going lose you. It made me feel like I was in the same place as you. I felt like I was dying."

I smiled at him. "I know" I said, rubbing my thumb across his cheek. Our foreheads touched and I closed my eyes. I felt comforted by his smell, by his breathing, by his touch. Our lips touched briefly and I wanted him. Right there and then. He pulled back but I kissed him anyway, feeling my heart rate accelerate. I was expecting maybe a few kisses from him, like usual, but was greeted with a push back into the bed and fierce, quick, passionate kisses. They came one after the other in rapid succession, overwhelming me to the point where I was begging for breath. Each held more passion, more longing.

I'd never seen this side of him, he was strong and forceful and I wasn't doing a single thing. I had no say. He had taken control and I loved it. If I had told him to stop I don't think he would have cared. There was no sweetness or shyness, just savage love. The hand that had barely been touching my thigh was dug in, rubbing hard, sliding to my pant line.

He was pushing me into the rich, fluffy pillows and I smiled against his kisses not sure which side of my body was more comfortable. Slowly, teasingly, I drew down his jacket zipper, then stripped it off him. He smiled and I licked his teeth slowly. I was greeted with a moan and another kiss. He released my lips and I let out a small whine.

I felt him chuckle against my skin. Teasingly leaving kisses and nips across my neck. I moaned and put a hand in his hair. He kissed a spot just below my jaw-line, his tongue slipping between his soft lips for just an instant. I moaned through my teeth, feeling my body grind against his in sweet pleasure, yanking on his hair. I moved to reach his lips again when he pulled back and licked my lip once.

"Tease" I scowled. He laughed and trailed a finger across my chest, sending a shiver down my spine. God, I loved him like this. I kissed him forcefully, "You think it's funny now". Catching him off guard, I flipped us over, sitting on his hips. I slowly grinded on his hips and he moaned against my lips.

"No fair" he ground out as I sat up.

I pulled my hands down his chest and ground harder, deeper. A yell escaped his lips, sending him into a frenzy. "Shhhhh" I said, kissing his lips closed. He grabbed at my face trying to kiss me again. That's when I started on his shirt. It was annoying and tricky, with over a dozen tiny buttons down the front. He was lucky I didn't rip it off. I must admit I was surprised at how well-toned his body was.

I grinded one more time before he yanked me into another kiss by the front of my shirt. He pushed me off of him so he could regain control. I dug my nails into his bare back as he straddled me. He took my tactic and ground against me. My yell of pleasure was cut off with a forceful kiss as he did it again. I wrapped a bare leg around him. His hand went up my thigh, sliding slowly up my shorts to grasp the back of my thigh. Kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, bruising my lips with passion. His other hand slid across my neck, grasping at the nape of my neck when I rubbed against his body.

God his hair was soft. I tangled my fingers in it, not able to get enough of him. I gasped and pulled away when his hands went under my shirt. I saw a flash of the shy Tim Drake when he pulled back, apologizing. I shook my head and said, "Your hands are cold". Then I showered his mouth in kisses as he returned to my shirt, lifting it up slowly, taunting me with his long, thin fingers.

He laughed and encased me with his hands, sending my heart rate skyrocketing into space. I started to reach for his pants when I stopped. It only took one kiss before he realized something was wrong. He stopped and removed his hands from under my shirt. "What's wrong?" he asked, placing them in my hair instead.

I shook my head, "I—I can't do this" I said slowly, putting my hands on his bare shoulders.

He nodded. "Okay" he said, "We can stop"

"Mmm" I said, leaning up to kiss him hesitantly.

He returned the kiss, sucking on my lips a little. "Did you have some chocolate earlier?" he asked desperately.

"Maybe just a little." I smiled shakily when he kissed me again.

He pulled away, "Are you alright?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together with concern.

I stared at him, torn inside. I didn't know whether I should tell him or not. I was worried. I was scared that he wouldn't accept me if I did tell him. My father, my name…my past.

"You know you can tell me anything" he said, rubbing my cheek with his thumb.

"I…" I looked in his eyes. They were so beautiful and loving and trusting, "I can't"

I pulled out from under him quickly and he fell onto the bed with an _oomf_. I half-ran out his door. Once I turned the corner I ran to the front door and slipped out into the rain. Spring rain was notorious in Gotham. It was cold and windy and rainy.

I kept running. I couldn't stop, I wouldn't stop. I was soaking wet after I'd ran twenty feet. The rain pelted my body, cleaning off whatever sweat that I had produced. I wished it would clean off my past. My father…

That's when the tears came.

I collapsed in the middle of the street, wracking with sobs. I knew I hadn't ran that far, maybe half a mile. I just prayed that you couldn't see me from the mansion. The memories were too painful. My father, leaning over me, on top of me…my mother, my sister. A knife and a gun. I yelled aloud as the pain came back, it seemed like it was ten times worse as I sat there in the rain, screaming. I tried to get the memories out. But they wouldn't leave.


	12. A Memory

"Something wrong, sir?" The butler asked.

"Um, no…I guess. Have you seen Maddie?" Tim asked, feeling a little shaky. Why had she run off like that? He beat himself mentally for pushing her too far.

"I'm afraid not." Alfred quirked an eyebrow, "Did she leave you with lipstick smears on purpose?"

Tim's eyes widened and he slid to the mirror in the hallway, scanning his face. There was nothing there. "Evil butler" Tim muttered.

Tim walked through the hall and glanced at the front door. Noticing water on the floor he opened it, letting the rain in. There was someone sitting in the middle of the road about half a mile away. He recognized her purple shirt.

Tim ran out, sprinting towards her in the rain. He hadn't even broken a sweat once he reached her, all his training made sure of that, but not all the training in the world could have prepared him for the girl that he loved crying in the rain. She looked lost, gone, almost empty. Her body was shaking with sobs and the cold. She was soaking wet sitting in a puddle on the blacktop clutching to herself as if she were dying.

"Maddie" he said quietly, kneeling down to sit next to her in the rain.

I heard him running out, I knew it was him. Who else would it be? The puddles splashing under his feet and his breathing as he stood above me in the rain. It had, by now, smeared all my makeup across my face that I'd spent over an hour perfecting. I couldn't stop the tears. I had held them in for years and they were all just crushing down on me.

He said my name. When he knelt down next to me it only made it worse. I had finally found somebody that I loved enough to get close to and I couldn't give him what we both wanted…

I felt his hand move to touch my face and I flinched away. The thoughts of my father were too prominent right now and it felt like I was being burned. This happened every once in awhile. I had emotional breakdowns. That was also why I had never had serious boyfriends. They ended up freaking out and getting as far away from me as they could once they found out what had happened to me.

He pulled back quickly and I wished I hadn't pulled away. I wanted him to touch me, to hold me, to love me. But I didn't want to lose him. The closer we got, the harder it would be to let him go once I told him. I wasn't ready to let him go yet. He'd leave in an instant once I told him. It didn't help that Robin had been the one to catch my father.

I tried to look at him, tried to gain the courage to reach out and touch him.

"Please" he said. And I watched as he hesitantly reached out to hold my chin, making me look at him. A gutsy move for a shy boy. "You can tell me anything"

"I…" tears fell, and I cried some more, loving his touch, not wanting it to leave. As soon as I told him it would be gone.

"I don't want you to leave me" I choked out, my eyes burning from crying.

"What?" He lifted his other hand and clasped my face in between them, "Listen to me" he said firmly, and "I will never, _ever_ leave you. Understand? No matter what you tell me"

I wanted to believe him.

"Maddie. I promise. _I promise_" he said, rain leaking onto his face, "Please tell me"

My tears stopped, but I wasn't ready to tell him, to let him go. He'd never touch me again, kiss me again, _look_ at me again the same. I slowly pushed some wet hair from his forehead. My hand dropped like dead weight into the water and I gave in.

"My…my name's not Zwinger" I said through the rain, not able to look at him. "It—It's Dutch. Maddeline Dutch"

His eyes froze and his hands dropped from my face in absolute shock. My heart broke in that instant. My arms came up and wrapped around my body. I knew it. I thought that he would be different, that he wouldn't care, that he would love me anyway. I was wrong, like I always was.

"You mean, like Jake Dutch?" he asked.

I nodded, looking away, ashamed.

"You…you're his daughter. The youngest?" he asked, his eyes glazing over in horror as he remembered the night he'd taken my father into custody.

_A scream echoed through the night and the ten year-old Robin turned towards the sound. It was coming from an apartment near Second Street. Robin often patrolled the Narrows. He usually saved people from muggings or an occasional rape. Murder wasn't usually in the picture. Another scream came and tore through his heart; both of them had been women. And they were both terrified._

_ He sent a hook towards the apartment and flew through the night. As he flew closer to the apartment he heard cussing and struggles, then a gunshot. A scream, louder, then cut off with a loud smash. Then grunting. Crying. _

_ Robin tried to glide faster, but the rope and wind would only take him so fast and the wind was not on his side tonight. He crashed through the window and stepped back in surprise as he saw the scene in front of him._

_ Three women and a man. No, two women, a man, and a _girl_. The oldest was cowering in the corner. The other was on the floor, her panty-hose ripped off and her skirt yanked up, a gunshot in her chest. The youngest was maybe nine years old and naked on the kitchen table, passed out._

_ The man whipped around, zipping up his pants and moved to shove the girl off the table and onto the floor. Anger and disgust flooded through Robin's body and he attacked the man, sending him sprawling on the floor. The man reached for the gun on the counter but Robin threw it out the window before the man could reach it._

_ He attacked, catching Robin off guard, shoving him into the wall with a butcher knife. Robin ducked before the man could stab him and somersaulted away, then turned and quickly clasped the man's hands together with handcuffs. The man yelled and cursed trying to get lose, but Robin smacked him across the face and he stayed silent._

_ Robin dropped the man on the floor, disgusted. He ignored the woman in the corner, she was fine, unharmed. The other one was already dead, her eyes glazed over in silence. He rushed to youngest, first checking for a pulse. It was faint and erratic, but it was there. He ripped off his cape and wrapped it__ around her, trying to wake her up._

_ "Miss?" he said, praying she'd wake up, "Hello?"_

_ She stirred and looked up at him with chocolate, blurred eyes._

_ "Are you okay?" was all he could manage. How could he ask such a question? The girl had been beaten and raped. What was he thinking? Is she _okay_?_

_ "Jake" the woman in the corner said, catching the young hero off-guard. She was looking at the man on the floor, "Why?" she sobbed. "Why would you do this? To your own family?"_


	13. A Promise

"You were the girl" Tim said, falling back onto his hands in the rain, "He…he raped you and your sister and then killed her in front of you."

I started crying again.

"Your own father"

"I…" I tried to talk through my tears, but I was unsuccessful, "I…k-knew this w-would hap-p-pen"

"What are you talking about?" he asked and my head fell into my hands.

"Why are you still here?" I cried.

There was silence, "Are you crazy?" he asked, grabbing my cold hands in his, "I promised I'd stay didn't I?"

"You don't have to keep your promises" I said, still crying, my tears splashing in the puddles on the ground, "I'm used to it. Everyone leaves in the end"

"I'm never leaving you" he said, wiping tears from my cheek. "No matter what"

I looked at him. Was he telling the truth?

"R—really?" I asked hesitantly.

"Really" he said, smiling sadly, "You're stuck with me, Maddeline Dutch"

I let out a weak laugh, "Y—you don't care…about..?"

"No" he said, "I know who you are. And I love the way you are. That's all that matters to me"

He hugged me tight and I bawled into his shoulder. Gripping his wet shirt with me fists, bunching it up as my body shook with cries. He held me, tight and strong. And we stayed that way until I fell asleep.

She stopped crying and Tim realized she'd fallen asleep. He stood carefully, pulling her into his arms. He carried her to the mansion, his eyes burning from holding in his own tears when she'd broken apart.

Tim leaned against the doorbell calmly, waiting for Alfred to answer the locked door. He looked at her face, she was fast asleep, her face peaceful and unworried. Alfred opened the door and gasped.

"Some dry clothes, Alfred? Maybe some of Barbara's old ones" Tim asked, walking inside and heading towards his bedroom, "And a towel?"

"Right away sir" Alfred said, rushing off.

Tim carried Maddie into his bedroom and gently laid her on the bed, hoping not to wake her up. Tim sat there and pulled away her damp hair. Alfred came in with the required items and set them on the bed. Tim told him to leave gently and he did, closing the door behind him.

He pulled away the covers and lay the towel down. He placed her on it and then gently tried to wake her up. "Maddie" he said softly.

"Mmm" she groaned, her swollen eyes fluttered open, "This seems grotesquely familiar"

"Change into some dry clothes" he said, handing them to her, and then covered her body with the covers, "I won't look"

She changed quickly, shuddering. He did too. Then her eyes started to glaze over again. She was shivering, waiting for sleep.

"Tim?" she said, barely above a whisper.

"Yes?" he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm cold"

"I'll go get a blanket"

"No" she said, grabbing at his arm when he started to stand, "Stay with me"

He sat there for a moment, then realized what she meant. He slid under the covers and wrapped an arm behind her head, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She was freezing. Not that he wasn't cold himself, but her whole body was shaking and frozen. He moved his other arm around and started rubbing her arm. Trying to get her warm.

She moaned and snuggled into his chest, half asleep. He pulled her against him, kissing her wet hair. Her arm slipped across his chest to curl around his neck. Tim looked at her, but she still looked like she was asleep. He breathed in her scent, smelling what lingered of her perfume. And felt his eyes start to ease closed. They shot back open when her leg wrapped around him rubbing against him slowly.

"Uh…" he managed. But she was still fast asleep. She breathed in slowly, barely moving, just her chest, up and down with her breathing. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes, completely ignoring the TV that was still on above the door. Soon, he joined her in sleep.

Alfred tapped lightly on Tim Drake's door. There was no answer. Alfred slowly nudged it open. He looked inside and saw Tim and Maddie snuggled under the covers together, fast asleep. Alfred smiled and walked in. He closed the blinds and turned off the TV. Then pulled the covers up slightly on the young couple. He walked to the door and with one last fond look at the two of them he turned off the light, engulfing the room in darkness.


	14. An Intoxication

The laughter was intoxicating. It had been going on for more than two days now. Unbelievable and maddening, it sucked at your life span. Maniacal, _insane_ laughter. Once again, I'd managed to get kidnapped. It just so happened that this time, Harley Quinn decided to take me back to the "Gotham North Medical Hospital for the Mentally Unstable" for a little run with the Joker. But, to me there was nothing funny about it. I'd like to think that I put up a good fight. I'd managed to break Harley's wrist before she knocked me out with a kick to the temple. I hadn't been expecting that. But nobody ever is expecting these sorts of things to happen to them, are they? They expect that their lives are safe, normal, protected. They don't know how wrong they are.

The only problem was that the Joker knew I was Robin's damsel in distress, which implied that I knew his secret identity. After all, doesn't Lois Lane know who Superman is? Now you have to think. I have been chained up in this asylum for two days. And I've been holding information that he wants. Let's just say I wasn't exactly in good shape. I never really expected to be saved, in fact, I prayed, _begged_ God that he wouldn't come and be killed in an attempt to save me. I never realized that I didn't have to worry about him coming to save me. I realized this after about two weeks…when I stopped begging to save his life, but started begging for my own life to end.


	15. A Lesson

I screamed, unable to hold it back anymore. The electricity spiraled through my body at 120 volts. The Pacification center was my least favorite. I'd been here for nearly two weeks now. There was no sign of me being rescued. Somehow this didn't surprise me. Harley yelled at me to scream louder because she loved the way it sounded and Joker proceeded to send a higher voltage through my body. Sending my body into convulses and screams of agony. Harley cackled with laughter.

"Oh you have such a way with children" Harley said. Through the phase of electricity I watched her kiss him on the cheek, her leg bent up as she did so.

I moaned when the electricity let up a bit.

Joker walked away from the control panel, "Harley, be at the ready in case we need more"

She skipped to the panel and 'accidently' hit the button. I yelled in pain as shots went through my body from the metal around me.

"HARLEY!" Joker yelled.

She giggled, "Oops". She released the button.

"Listen…Maddie. We only want his identity. Surely you know it by now." The Joker said. "Once they get to know someone, usually they confide in them. He must have told you _something_."

I looked away.

"Oh! He did!" Joker laughed. "Oh I love it; he trusts you!"

The maniac grabbed my face with a white painted hand. He gripped me so tight I thought my jaw would crack.

"Tell me" he said. He didn't yell and he didn't hurt me, but the low tone of his voice sent fear hurtling through my bones.

"I'm not gonna tell you shit" I spat. I was answered with a slap across the face.

"Looks like we have to teach you some manners. Or maybe a lesson." Joker said, unhooking the straps that held me to the stretcher. "Again"

I collapsed to the floor once the last strap was removed and fell on my broken arm. "Ow" I said.

That's when the first kick came. Strait to my ribs, probably cracking three of them, it landed home with a solid _crack_. I moaned.

The Joker giggled a little. He kicked me again and I suppressed another moan. I could take this though. The solid pain, I could get through. That's when he stomped on my leg and I heard something crack in my shin. I screamed.

"Surely you don't intend on letting this go on for too much longer? If he was going to rescue you, don't you think he would have done it by now?" the clown said.

In my head I said, 'yes', but of course I said, "It doesn't matter if I'm saved or not. You'll have to break every bone in my body and kill me before you get one peak inside my brain"

"That can be easily arranged"

I almost cracked when he picked me up and slammed me back onto the stretcher, strapping me in.


	16. An Ambush

"No. Please! _Please! _Don't!" she whined. Tim winced, feeling his heart break as sobs filled the room. He crept through the ventilation system trying not to make a sound. He was so going to be killed for this one. Bruce had forbidden him to leave the house. Not just grounding, but a really serious order. But he couldn't take it any longer. At least—if you could even put in an "at least" here—she was alive. She was breathing. It felt like he was going to puke once he finally reached the end of the crawl space and looked into the Pacification Center.

She was strapped to a raised stretcher that was attached to several wires, leading back to a box near Harley Quinn. _No_, he thought. Harley hit the button and Tim watched as 150 volts of electricity shot through Maddie's body. Her blood-curdling screams echoed through his head. He tried his best to ignore them. Push them out. Don't listen. _Concentrate_. He looked around the room, trying his best to find some way to sneak around Joker and catch him from behind. He would never be able to take him head on. He'd have to get rid of Joker first, then fight Harley. But how? There was always a way, Bruce said, _always_. Then why couldn't he find it?

The screams stopped and were replaced with sobbing. Tim blocked it out to the best of his ability. He nudged open the grate in front of him and quietly moved it to the side. He gathered his courage, looking down at the Joker and analyzed the best angle to take him out. Just as he crouched down for the jump, the skylight burst open and a black-clad figure flew in through the glass. Tim knew instantly that it was Bruce so he leapt from the vent and went for Joker. In one quick takedown and a punch to the temple, the clown was down. Because he had not been expecting Batman to break through the window the villain had let down his guard while he looked to the man above. So when Tim came from behind, he was so completely unaware that he didn't even have time to smile. Robin didn't worry about Bruce or Harley. That would be an easy fight for the Dark Knight.

Robin spun on his heal and sprinted to the girl stretched out on the hospital bed. Her sobs didn't stop as she stared into the space around her. Her body was still shaking with electricity.

"Turn off the power!" Tim screamed, needing to touch her, help her. But he couldn't if she was writhing with electricity. "_Please!_" He collapsed to the ground in front of her when there was no reply behind him.


	17. A Plead

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: If anyone noticed I added a new chapter five and chapter six. I accidently skipped them in rush publishing the rest of the story. Check them out. They're cut filler fluff. **

I tried to stay sane long enough to realize what was going on around me. Someone in black, someone in red, green, red, black, green, _red_. Brown eyes. They looked familiar when I stared at them through the film of tears in my eyes. The electricity stopped and so did the pain, my body so numb from shock that there was no pain.

I heard Velcro and tried to look towards the sound, but found that I couldn't feel my head and decided it was too much labor to move. I started to fall, but somehow I didn't hit the floor. I tried to clear my vision, the tears too blurry, they kept coming. Each time I blinked them out, more came; never stopping.

I heard screaming and wished the awful sound would stop because it was annoying and hurting my ears. Then I realized fuzzily that it was me that was screaming. I was screaming? I don't remember. I can't even tell that's what I'm doing. So numb, so numb, so completely _gone_.

Tim held her close, as close as he could without hurting her. She may not feel it, but he could tell when something hurt her body. She said something too low for him to hear and he leaned in closer, "What?" he asked.

"Why…" she repeated, barely a whisper, "Why can't I feel my body?"

His eyes blurred as he tried to support her head.

"Why…" she said again, "Why didn't you come…before?"

He couldn't hold back the sob that escaped his lips as she asked him the hardest question to answer. Why hadn't he come? Yes, there had been plenty of chances, well the whole time, he could have gone and found her. So, why hadn't he? It would've been very easy. He put his hand on her cheek and leaned his forehead against hers, not able to hold back the tears.

"Please" he whispered against her hair, "_Please_ be okay"

"It's okay" she said and he felt her hand against his cheek.

"What?" he choked out, looking at her tear-stained face.

"It's okay" she said, smiling sadly, "Your secret's safe"

He choked again. How could she say something like that? So calm and so happy by that one fact. Her body was broken and hurt and yet she could smile and tell him, an inch from death, that it was okay. He tried to brush hair off her sweaty face when her eyes started to waver closed.

"Please, Maddie" he said, trying to ignore the sneaking feeling of fear that was forming in his stomach, "Please don't leave me. _Please._"

He tried to hug her tight, hoping that it wouldn't hurt her, but when he leaned back, her eyes were closed. He panicked, nearly dropping her.

"Maddie?" he choked out, "_Maddie?_" His voice cracked and he hurriedly checked for a pulse. He checked her wrist, her neck, he put his ear to her chest. Nothing.

_No_. "MADDIE?"

"Move!" a deep voice said behind him, "Tim, _move_"

The boy froze, not able to move as he stared at her. This wasn't supposed to happen. How could this happen? He came too late, _why_? He felt himself being shoved out of the way as a dark figure started to pump her chest.

"Robin" the child could barely hear, "_Robin_." He was hit again, "_Tim_. I need you to give her air"

"What?" he said, barely able to concentrate, "What"

"Breathe into her lungs!" Bruce said, yanking him towards her unmoving body.

"O-oh ok"

"Plug her nose first" the man said, trying not to be too hard on the young hero.

Tim closed her nose and leaned down touch her lips and tried to breathe his life into her, trying to give everything he had within that one touch. _Please breathe_, he thought desperately. For once there wasn't a thing he could do to save her.

"Okay" Tim felt a hand on his shoulder and the Dark Knight started to pump her chest again as he released her nose. He stopped and looked at Tim. "Go ahead"

Tim tried again. Begging God to let her live. He didn't know how many times they tried.

"Tim…stop" the man's voice was gentle but firm.

"What? No. Not until she's breathing." Tim said, beginning to pump her chest in his stead.

"Tim…it's over. She's gone." Bruce said, trying to pull him away.

"No! Let me keep trying." He said, tears finally falling from his face. He breathed into her again and again. Desperetely.

One more time. He breathed in one more time when he felt her chest move up. He felt something soft against his cheek, her eyelashes brushing against him. He heard her gasp for air.

"I'll call an ambulance" Bruce said, turning away from them.

Tim smiled shakily with relief, blearily realizing the tears dripping onto her face. He was dizzy from lack of air.

"What? I'm…alive?" he heard her whisper.

"Of course" he said, pulling her fragile body closer, "I told you that I'd never leave you. I keep my promises"

She smiled slightly, her eyes still bleary, "I'm glad. I was scared of dying."


End file.
